Flushing device for rock drills



Nov. 26, 1929. J@ KHLEN i 1,736,922

FLUSHING DEVICE FOR ROCK DRILLS Filed Feb. l1, 1928 /Qffa ruud/fl u 2 '1f/senza introduced into this improved flushing-dcvice it is made possible to meet not only all diculties which may arise during the time a deep hole is brought down but also to always find the correct proportion between the pressure exerted by the flushing-water on the packing and the pressure and the volume of the flushing-water which passes through said ball-valve and the tubular drill to the bottom of the bore-hole.

In the accompanying drawing my present invention is illustrated by way of example, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lower end of a rock-drill and of the improved flushing-device combined therewith,

Figure 2 is a similar section of a modification of the improved flushing-device, and

Figure 3 is an elevation of the flushingdevice seen at right angles to Figures 1 and 2.

The casing Cof the improved flushingdevice consists of a bottom part 1 and a top part 2 resiliently connected by means of bolts 3 and springs 3 interposed between the lower part 1 of the casing and the nuts of said bolts. `Thiscasing is rotatably mounted on a cylindrical seat 4 formed by an enlarged member of the shank 5 of a tubular drill 6 the longitudinal bore 6 of which is always in communication with the cylindrical face of the seat 4 by means of an inclined radial duct 7. The squared end 5 of the drill-shank is fitted in the usual manner into a sleeve 8 arranged in the lower end of the rock-drill casing 9. To retain said flushing-device during the drill-operation in place, a spring (not shown) of any suitable configuration is screwed over the lower end of said rock-drill casing and graspsvwith its lower end beneath the annular shoulder 6 of the drill. As shown in Figure 1 and 2 the parts 1 and 2 of the casing C are, adjacent to the cylindrical seat 4, recessed for the reception of a packing which in Figure 1 is composed of two groups of cup-shaped packing-rings 10 -and llarranged in pairs and made of leather or of any other suitable material, whereas in Figure 2 only two single packing rings 12 are employed the edges of which are U-shaped and connected by a stout intermediate member which serves the same purpose as the perforated stay-ring 13 in Figure 1, namely to keep the packing-rings always in readiness `for instataneous action. The packing rings 12 are preferably made of rubber which material is adapted to produce packing-rings of this cross-section without difficulties and under exclusion of auxiliary means. In both instances the packing-rings are kept apart by a distance-ring 14 of a size'to hold said packing-rings in close contact with the shoulders of the casing members 1 and 2 and the channelled edges of the distance-ring 14.

The flushing-fluid, for obvious reasons generally water, is introduced into the top part 2 of the casing C by means of a suitable conduit7 as for instance a water-pipe, a hose or a flexible tube. In Figure 1 this conduit is presumed to be a hose 15 connected with said top part 2 by the aid of the casing 16 of a regulatable valve 17. After the flushingfluid has entered the casing C a part of it is guided by a branched passage 18, 18 imultaneously to the two groups of packing-rings 10 and 11 shown in Figure 1, or to the separately arranged packing-rings 12 shown in Figure 2. rIhe remaining part of the flushingfluid passes from the passage 18 by way of an inlet-duct 19 to a tubular recess 2O arranged in the top part 2 of the casing C and connected by a lateral outlet-duct 21 to an external annular groove 22 0f the distancering 14 which groove is connected by radial ducts 23 to an internal groove 24 of the same ring 14. This last named groove is always in communication with the external end of the inclined radial duct 7, so that the flushing-fluid which enters the inlet duct 19 can successively pass through the recess 20, the outlet-duct 21, the radial ducts 23, the inclined radial duct 7 to the longitudinal bore 6 of the drill 6 and thence to the bottom of the bore-hole. To control the flow of the flushing-fluid through this channel or passage a regulatable ball-valve 25 is arranged in said tubular recess 20 and normally pressed against the inner end of said inlet-duct 19 by a spring 26 the resistance of which can be regulated by a screw-plug 27 adapted to bel screwed intoV said recess from beneath.

Since Figure 1 only differs from Figure 2 in respect to the packing-rings, the numbers of reference appertaining to the parts of the device common to both embodiments of my invention are for the sake of clearness inserted at random in both figures.

My improved flushing-device operates as follows After the rock-drill has been started the valve 17 is opened to let the flushing-fluid enter under pressure into the casing C wherein it immediately fills the branched passage 18, 18 and the spaces left by the packingrings in the annular recess of the casing Hereby the packing-rings 10 and 11, and 12 respectively, are expanded to encircle the cylindrical seat 4 with sufficient pressure to form hereon two tight joints, of which one is arranged above and the other below the mouth of said inclined radial duct 7. The pressure now gradually rises in said branched passage until it reaches a predetermined height, for instance 2 to 2,5 atmospheres. At this pressure-which, of course, may vary since this only depends on the regulated resistance of the spring 26-the ball-valve 25 leaves its seat and admits the flushing-fluid to flow through the tubular recess, duct 21,

let the pressure of the {lashing-fluid con--` 1packing, since 'otherivis'elthe packing-'rings wvill heneedlesslyfivorn by excessive `friction,

- lwhich in turn tendsto l-esseii'fthe Working. Y

' capacity oftherock-drill,because the angu-lingliluid'directed tothe bottom'of-thefbore- Alar 'drill-steps LareI shortened.

-The cooperation oiithe" ball-valve With 'the regul'atablek valve 17, which controls'the admission of the iiushing-liquidinto the "casving G, 'suiiices for :a simple 'regulation ofthe 4action ot v4the flushing-device. WVhen', how-5' "ever, the adjustmentof'both valves is such,

thatV for bore-holes up" to a 'certain maximal depth a certain volume of t1ushing-luidv Will l reach :the bottomolfA the bore-hole, and then'f` the bore-hole is sunk beyond this maximalV depth and on this account a greater quantity f aanraking-rings, arenaria-'rois Supplying fl'tishing-liiid-, ustable valvefinefans in? said conduit ffor regulating fthe stip-"plyAv of Afliuid `there'through, branched -passage' inf-said lcasing forfleadirig 'lai' part o;

lsaid iiiii'd from -theconduit to said groups ofpackin'g-rings fori bfhtenin fthe sa alareces's nils( icl-:casing 1coinmunica-tingii at1V Foire "fend ivithsaid 'branched passage and at 'the' otherv lend with the radial pert'orations of said distance-ringf,

andiafliegiilatable ball-valve Aadapted to regulatethe volume and the l pressure of the iiush- VLhole and in'conjnnction therewith th'efl'uidpressureactingoirthe packing.

3E A; finsliin'g-levice 'for rock-drills comprising in combination, 'a tubular vdrill provided vvit'h a shanlrhaving'a'cylindrical-seat 4commuriicatingby a vradial 'duct vWith the longitudinal bore of -`the drill, :a subdivided" casing rotatably mounted onl said 2cylindrical seaty andi-recessed 1adjacent to said "seat, groups o'packing-rings arranged in said recess and eachcomposed ot'tvvo packingL-rings held-apart' by a perforatedstayA-ring, a 'dis-'` of the flushing-fluid is required, it would be*"tancei-ring arranged"b'etvveenslaid groups' oi' fpacking-rings" and" providedr 'f avitlr internal andelxternalI groovesconnected by' radial ducts, a' conduit, adJusting'm'eans in said conduitl for regulating d'the volume f' the flush-"f ing-fluidI introducedfinto; saidI casing; a

branched passa-ge in said "casinlg 'for leading p'arto'fs'aid flnd to each'group offsaidp'acking-rings :for rtig'rhtening" the' --same, tubular recess inl saidicasingcominunicatin'g dwith said i branched' passage by' an'lmletiduc't Iand-*With packing it is advisable to obtain the desir-edil1the\1eiiternal `groove f thefdistancefrin`g by new adjustment of the flushing-device by the cooperative actions of the valves 17 and 25,51-

l. A flushing-device for rock-drills comprising in combination, a tubular drill having a cylindrical seat, a casing rotatablyv mounted on said seat, a packing encirclingsaid cylindrical seat Within said casing,A means lfor introducing a flushing-Huid into said casing, a passage Jfor directing the fluid to the bottom of the bore-hole, and a spring-'l controlled check valve arranged in said pas-ff* sage and adapted to regulate the fluid-pressure acting on said packing.

2. A flushing device for rock-drills com-fi prising in combination, a tubular drill provided With a shank having a cylindrical seat l communicating by a duct With the longitudi nal bore of the drill, a casing rotatably-5 mounted on said cylindrical seat and pro-'1 an outlet-duct, a ball-valve in said tubular recess, alf-spring normally pressing saidi ball- 'means insaid tubular recess-for adjusting the Y'resista'ncof'saifd spring to adapt saidl ballvalve tof-regulate the volume and the Apressure ot' the flushing-fluid directed to the bottom of the'V bore-hole' f 'andi' in `con]- unction therewith" the Jfluid-pressure acting on the packing.

l 4'. A flashing-devicelfonlrockldrills coinprisirigl incombination, a tubular drilll pro- 'vided with a shank having a `cylindricalseat communicating by -a""ra:dial duct :with thel longitudinal boreof kthe drill, a` subdivided casing rotatablyy mounted on said cylindrical seat and-recessed adjacent tos'aid'seat, packing-'rings 'seated invsaidrecess, a longitudiduit connectedvvith said-valve, abranchedvf passage in'saidfcasing for leadingavpart of said-liluld to said packing-:rings fcrvtighftenvided with a recess, groups of packing-ringsv`v ling the samefaftubularrecess in' said-casing arranged in said recess, a radially perforated distance-ring arranged between said groups communicating I by ani inlet duct with 4said branched passage and byl an outlet-duct'vvith'1 alvellagainst said inle't-duct,- and adjusting llO the radial perforations of said distanceering, a. ball-valve in said tubular recess, a spring supporting said ball-valve, and a screw-plug arranged in said tubular recess for varying the resistance of said spring to adapt said ball-Valve to regulate the volume and the pressure of the flushing fluid directed to the bottom of the bore-hole and in conjunction therewith the fluid-pressure acting on the packing.

5. A flushing-device for rock-drills comprising in combination, a tubular drill provided with a shank having a cylindrical seat communicating by a radial duct with the longitudinal bore of said drill, a horizontally subdivided cup shaped casing rotatably mounted on said cylindrical seat and recessed adjacent to said seat, means for coupling the separate parts of said cup shaped casing,pack ing-rings arranged in said recess, a longitudinally grooved and radially perforated distance-ring placed between said packing-rings,- a flexible conduit for introducing a flushingfluid into said casin jr an ad`ustable valve conf necting said conduit with said casing and adapted to regulate the volume and the pres- Y sure of the admitted flushing-fluid, a branched passage leading a part of said fluid to said cup-shaped packing-rings, a tubular recess in said casing connected with said branched passage by an inlet-duct and with said radially perforated distance-ring by a lateral outlet-duct, a regulatable ballvalve in said tubular recess adapted to regulate the volume and the pressure of the flushing-fluid directed to the bottom ofthe bore-hole and in conjunction therewith the fluid pressure acting upon the packing.

6. A flushing-device for rock-drills'com-- prising in combination, a tubular drill provided with a shank having a cylindrical seat comunicating by a radial duct with the longif tudinal bore of said drill, ahorizontally subdivided casing rotatably mounted on said cylindrical seat between a shoulder of said drill and the squared shank-end and provided with an annular recess between its ends, means for resiliently coupling said parts of the casing, packing-rings arranged in said annular recess, a longitudinally gi'ooved and radially perforated distance-ring keeping the parts of said casing in alignment and said packing-rings apart, a conduit for admitting a flushing-fluid into said casing, an adjustable Valve adapted to connect said conduit with said casing and to regulate the volume and the pressure of the fluid admitted into said casing, a branched passage for leading a part of the fluid to said packing-rings to tighten the same, a tubular recess in said casing communicating by an inlet-duct with said branched passage and by an outlet-duct through said radially perforated distancering with the longitudinal bore of said drill, and a regulatable ball-valve in said i recess adapted to regulate the volume and the pressurev of the flushing-fluid directed to the bottom of the bore-hole and in conjunction therewith the fluid-pressure acting upon said packing independently of the adjustable valve of said conduit.

7 In a flushing-device for rockdrills the combination of a tubular-drill having a cylindrical seat, a casing rotatably mounted on said seat, a packing arranged between said seat and said casing, a conduit for leadingV 

